Георг Фридрих Гендель, Semele

Act I Overture

Gavotte

Scene 1: Accompagnato: 'Behold! Auspicious flashes rise' (High Priest)

Chorus: 'Lucky omens bless our rites'

Recit, arioso and duet: 'Daughter, obey' (Cadmus, Athamas)

Recitative: 'Ah me!' (Semele)

Aria: 'O Jove! In pity teach me which to choose' (Semele)

Recitative: 'Alas! she yields' (Ino, Athamas)

Quartet: 'Why dost thou thus untimely grieve' (Cadmus, Ino, Athamas, Semele)

Chorus: 'Avert these omens, all ye pow'rs'

Recit: 'Again auspicious flashes rise' (Athamas) - Recit: 'Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores!' (Athamas, Semele)

Chorus: 'Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed'

Scene 2: Recit: 'Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes (Ino) - Recit: 'She weeps!' (Athamas)

Aria: 'Your tuneful voice my tale would tell' (Athamas)

Recitative: 'Too well I see' (Ino, Athamas)

Duet: 'You've undone me' (Ino, Athamas)

Scene 3: Recit: 'Ah! wreched prince, doom'd to disastrous love!' (Cadmus, Athamas) - Accompagnato: 'Wing'd with our fears and pious hate' (Cadmus)

Scene 4: Chorus: 'Hail Cadmus, hail!'

Aria and Chorus: 'Endless pleasure, endless love' (Augur, Chorus)

Act II Sinfonia

Scene 1: Recitative: 'Iris, impatient of thy stay' (Juno, Iris)

Aria: 'There, from mortal cares retiring' (Iris) - Recitative: 'No more, I'll hear no more' (Juno)

Accompagnato: 'Awake, Saturnia, from thy lehargy!' (Juno) - Recit: 'Hear, might queen, while I recount' (Iris) - Accompagnato: 'With adamant the gates are barr'd' (Iris)

Aria: 'Hence, Iris, hence away' (Juno)

Scene 2: Aria: 'Come, zephyrs, come, while Cupid sings' (Cupid)

Aria: 'O sleep, why dost thou leave me' (Semele)

Scene 3: Recitative: 'Let me not another moment' (Semele)

Aria: 'Lay your doubts and fears aside' (Jupiter)

Recitative: 'You are mortal and require' (Jupiter)

Aria: 'With fond desiring' (Semele)

Chorus: 'How engaging, how endearing'

Recitative: 'Ah, me!' - 'Why sighs my Semele?' (Semele, Jupiter)

Aria: 'I must with speed amuse her' (Jupiter)

Chorus: 'Now Love that everlasting boy invites'

Recitative: 'By my command' (Jupiter, Semele)

Aria: 'Wher'er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade' (Jupiter)

Scene 4: Recitative: 'Dear sister, how was your passage hither?' (Semele, Ino)

Aria: 'But hark! the heav'nly sphere turns round' (Ino)

Duet: 'Prepare then, ye immortal choir' (Semele, Ino)

Chorus: 'Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays'

Act III Sinfonia

Scene 1: Accompagnato: 'Somnus, awake' (Juno, Iris)

Aria: 'Leave me, loathsome light' (Somnus)

Recitative: 'Dull God, canst thou attend the water's fall' (Iris, Juno)

Aria: 'More sweet is that name' (Somnus)

Recitative: 'My will obey' (Juno, Somnus)

Duet: 'Obey my will, thy rod resign' (Juno, Somnus)

Scene 2: Aria: 'My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed' (Semele)

Scene 3: Recitative: 'Thus shap'd like Ino' (Juno, Semele)

Aria: 'Myself I shall adore' (Semele)

Recit: 'Be wise as you are beautiful' (Juno, Semele) - Accompagnato: 'Conjure him by his oath' (Juno)

Aria: 'Thus let my thanks be paid' (Semele)

Recitative : 'Rich odours fill the fragrant air' (Juno, Semele)

Scene 4: Aria: 'Come to my arms, my lovely fair' (Jupiter)

Recitative: 'O Semele!' (Jupiter) - Aria: 'I ever am granting' (Semele)

Recit: 'Speak, speak your desire' (Jupiter, Semele) - Accompagnato: 'By that tremendous flood, I swear' (Jupiter) - Recit: 'You'll grant what I require?' (Semele, Jupiter) - Accompagnato: 'Then cast off this human shape which you wear' (Semele)

Aria: 'Ah, take heed what you press' (Jupiter)

Aria: 'No, no, I'll take no less' (Semele)

Scene 5: Accompagnato: 'Ah, whither is she gone, unhappy fair?' (Jupiter)

Scene 6: Aria: 'Above measure' (Juno)

Scene 7: Accompagnato: 'Ah me! Too late I now repent' (Semele)

Scene 8: Chorus: 'O terror and astonishment!'

Recitative: 'How I was hence remov'd' (Ino, Cadmus, Athamas)

Aria: 'Despair no more shall wound me' (Athamas)

Recitative: 'See from above the bellying clouds descend' (Cadmus)

Scene 9: Sinfonia

Accompagnato: 'Apollo comes, to relieve your care' (Apollo)

Chorus: 'Happy, happy shall we be'